Wire having a covering of fibrous material



June 14, 1938. .1. LE R. TUCKER WIRE HAVING A COVERING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 27, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l BYW ATTORNEY June 14, 1938. J LE R. TUCKER 2,120,270

WIRE HAVING A COVERING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 27, 1935 3 Sheets-$heet 2 ATTORNEY June 14, 1 938. J. LE TUCKER 2,120,270

WIRE HAVING A COVERING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 27, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES WIRE HAVING A COVERING 0F FIBBOUS MATERIAL Jesse Le Roy hacker, Newark, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass v Company, a corporation of Ohio Application February 21, 1935, Serial No. 8,480 Renewed March 29, 1937 10 Claims.

My invention relates to wire having a covering of fibrous material. The invention in its preferred form comprises a fine wire wrapped spirally with a, strand consisting of a multiplicity of fine fibres of glass, the strand being in ribbon like form.

An. object of the invention is to produce a novel product or article which comprises a wire spirally wrapped with very fine fibres of an inorganic material, preferably fine glass fibres, with the'fibres distributed over the surface of the wire in a layer of substantially uniform thickness throughout.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fine wire wrapped with an insulating coating or cover comprising glass fibres of such great fineness, and arranged in such a manner, that the insulated or covered wire may be sharply bent or may be tied in tight knots without breaking or.

. of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, part sectional side elevation on a, larger scale, showing particularly the fiyer.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same.

The apparatus is mounted on a framework comprising side frame members l0 and H and a base plate or platform I2. A spool l3 of the wire which is to be wrapped, is carried on a spindle I4. Beneath the spool is a pair of feed rolls [5 and I6 by which the wire H is fed downward to a fiyer I8 by which a strand l9 of fibers is wrapped or Wound spirally upon the wire. The strand I9 is supplied from a container 20 in which the strand has been coiled.

The yarn, roving, thread, or sliver, which forms a strand l9, preferably consists of a multiplicity of extremely fine fibres of glass arranged in ribbon-like form.

Ihave'found in practice that the extremely fine fibres give very satisfactory results, the diameter of the individual fibres in some cases being as-low as one-half micron. The diameters of the fibres. comprising the roving or strand l9, may varyisomewhat in the same strand. The average diameter may be about eight microns. Good results have also been obtained with somewhat coarser glass fibres in which the diameters may range as' high as fifteen microns.

A sufficiently large number of the fibres are grouped together to produce a strand oi. great tensile strength, ample to permit the material to be wound on the wire with the apparatus shown and in the manner hereinafter described. The individual fibres may be of great length, sometimes many feet in length or practically continuous. The individual fibres forming the strand l9 may be arranged to extend generally in the direction of the strand, many of the fibres being approximately or substantially parallel.

The fibres, however, are preferably intertwined or interwoven to a sufficient extent to reliably hold them in place when the strand is wound on the wire, preventing spreading or displacement of the strands or uncovering and exposure of the wire under any ordinary conditions to which it is subjected in use, as for example, when the wire is sharply flexed or bent, or subjected to abrasion or other external forces applied to the surface of the insulated wire.

The fiyer it comprises a vertical spindle 22, to the upper end of which is secured, by means of a pin 23, the body 24 of the fiyer. in the form of a, yoke havingdepending arms 25. Eyes 26 and 21 are provided at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the arms 25, through which the covered wire is guided to a spool 28 on which the wire is wound.

The apparatus is driven by an electric motor 30 which operates through speed reduction gearing 3| to drive a shaft 32. Motion is transmitted from. the shaft 32 to the spindle 22 through a belt 33 running on pulleys 34 and 35. The pulley 35 is mounted on a short shaft 36 journaled in the base plate l2, the pulley being provided with a socket 31 to receive the lower end of the spindle 22.

A sprocket chain or belt 38 transmits motion fromthe motor shaft to a speed changing and reduction device 39. The latter, which may be of conventional form, includes a hand wheel 40 for adjusting the speed ratio between the belt 38 and a belt 4|. The latter transmits motion from the speed changing device 39 to a shaft 45 which carries the lower roll 44 of a pair of feed rolls, the upper roll 43 of the pair being mounted on a shaft 42. If desired, intermeshing gears 46 and 41 may be used on the shafts 42 and 45 to provide for a positive drive of both the feed rolls.

Motion is transmitted from the motor to the wire feeding rolls l5 and I6 through belt 38, a belt 48 extending to a speed change device 49, and a belt 50 extending from the latter to a pulley on the shaft of the roll l6. Intermeshing gears on the shafts of the feed rolls l5, 16, including a gear 5|, provide for positively driving the roll l5. The speed changing device 49 permits the speed at which the wire is fed, to be adjustably varied and controlled. The speed changing mechanism 39, 40 in like manner permits the speed of the rolls 43 and 44, and there- This body is fore the speed at which the strand i9 is fed by the rolls. to be adiustably varied independently of the speed at which the wire is fed. By adjusting the relative speed of the wire I! and the strand IS, the thickness of the layer of fibres wrapped on the wire may be controlled and adjustably varied as desired.

The spool 28 on which the covered wire is wound, is freely mounted for movement up-and down on the spindle 22 and also for rotation relative to the spindle. Mechanism is provided for automatically reciprocating the spool vertically as the covered wire is wound thereon. Such mechanism includes a pinion 52 which drives a gear 53 on a shaft 54. The latter is formed with spiral grooves 55 in which runs a lug 56 carried on a bracket 51. The latter includes an armor rail 58 which is formed to provide a seat for the spool. Rotation of the shaft 54 causes the bracket 51 to move up and down on guide rails 59, thereby moving the spool upand down as the material is wound thereon. The rotation of the spool 28 is much slower than that of the spindle 22 and inorder to provide a sufficient drag or braking action of the spool, a layer of rubber 60 (Fig. 3) or like material may be interposed between the-spool and its support. Springs 6| may also be provided to apply a downward pressure on the spool flange and thereby increase the drag.

The flyer I8 is provided at its upper end with a tubular guide 63 through which the wire and the strand of fibres are fed and guided during the wrapping operation. The lower end of the tube 63 is formed with eyes or openings 64 through which the covered wire is guided.

In operation, the wire I! is continuously fed downward by the rolls I5 and I6 while the strand I9 is fed by the rolls 43 and 44 and the rotating flyer. As the strand [9 enters the tubular guide 63, it is wrapped spirally around the wire by the rotation of the flyer. The covered wire extends through theeyes 64 and 26, may be wrapped one or more times around the arm 25, and passes through the eye 21 and thence to the spool. The relative rate of speed at which the wire l1 and the strand l9 are advanced, determines the thickness of the fibrous coating. The speed of the flyer may be such that the strand I9 is drawn forward at a higher speed than that at which it would be advanced by the feed rolls alone. As the fibres comprising the strand i9 are untwisted and practically parallel, they provide an even covering for the wire of substantially uniform thickness throughout. As the wire is fed to the spool 28, the latter is caused to travel up and down in such manner that the wire is wound evenly thereon. When the spool has been filled, it can be removed by withdrawing the flyer and its spindle 22 upward through the spool.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention. Although, by way of example, I have illustrated and particularly described a single wire wrapped with the insulating material, it will be understood that the invention covers a construction in which the insulating material is applied to a group or plurality of wires or a cable comprising a number of wires or conductors. The reference in the description and claims to a wire to which the insulating material is applied, are intended to cover such group of wires or cable.

I claim:

l. An article of manufacture comprising a wire and a covering therefor comprising an unwoven strand of glass fibres wrapped around and directly over the wire, the average diameter of the fibres being not more than about eight microns.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a wire and a covering therefor consisting of an unwoven, ribbon-like sliver of glass fibres wrapped around and directly over the wire, the average diameter of the fibres being not more than eight' microns.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a wire, and a covering therefor comprising an unwoven strand of glass fibres wrapped spirally around and directly over the wire, said strand consisting of a multiplicity of fine fibres g p in substantial parallelism and in ribbon like form, the average diameter of the fibres being not more than eight microns.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a wire, and a covering therefor comprising a strand of glass fibres wrapped spirally around and directly over the wire, said strand consisting of a multiplicity of fine fibres grouped in ribbon like form, said wire being of a size and material permitting it to be sharply bent or tied in knots, and said fibres being of such fineness and flexibility that they remain unbroken and uninjured when the wire with its said covering of fibres is flexed or knotted.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a fine metal wire, and an insulating covering therefor comprising a sliver of glass fibres wrapped spirally around and directly over the bare wire, said wire being of a size and material permitting it to be sharply bent or tied in knots, and said fibers being of such fineness and flexibility that they remain unbroken, uninjured and next to the wire when the wire with its covering of fibers is flexed or knotted.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a fine wire, and a covering therefor of glass fibers of microscopic fineness compactly arranged and all wrapped spirally in the same direction around the wire.

'7. An article of manufacture comprising a fine wire, and a covering therefor of glass fibers of microscopic fineness wrapped spirally around the wire, said fibers having sufficient flexibility to permit the wire with the wrapping of fibers thereon, to be tied into close knots without destroying the integrity of said fibers.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a strand of flexible material, and a covering therefor of glass fibers of microscopic fineness compactly arranged with all the fibers wrapped spirally about said strand in the same direction.

9. The combination of a strand of flexible material, and a covering therefor comprising a sliver consisting of a multiplicity of glass fibers of 

